Performing local transactions using a wireless radio unit

ABSTRACT

A monetary amount is allocated to a user of a radio unit. The user initiates a wireless telephone call using the radio unit to engage in a local transaction other than for wireless telephone services. The user is permitted to engage in the local transaction based on in part the allocated monetary amount. A monetary amount associated with the local transaction is debited from the allocated monetary amount.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/886,497, filed Jun. 21, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,507, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/671,917, filed Sep.28, 2000, which issued on Sep. 18, 2001 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,127,which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/421,733, filedOct. 20, 1999, which issued on Jan. 9, 2001 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,745,which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/954,788, filedOct. 21, 1997, which issued on Dec. 21, 1999 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,770,which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/685,595, filedApr. 26, 1996, abandoned, which is a continuation of U.S. applicationSer. No. 08/281,705, filed Jul. 28, 1994, abandoned, which is adivisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/956,851, filed Oct. 6, 1992,which issued on Oct. 25, 1994 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,182.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to wireless debit cards, and more particularly tothe application of a wireless debit card to a radio telephone system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELEVANT ART

Credit cards, debit cards, point of sale (POS) cards, automatic tellermachine (ATM) cards, declining balance cards, and the like have beenused in the art for some time. In operation with the telephone networks,credit cards termed calling cards are available where a user with anaccount uses the calling card to access the telephone network. Inaccessing the telephone network, the calling card may be insertedthrough the slot of a telephone to a card reader, or alternatively, anaccount number on the card may be entered in the telephone, for example,by a touch-tone keypad. In either case, the amount of the telephone callis charged to the user's calling card account for later payment.

Similarly, a user may purchase a debit card for a certain amount ofcredit for purchases and charges. For example, charges to telephonecalls, with the credit allocated to the debit card, are deducted fromthe amount of credit purchased. In use, the user inserts the debit cardinto a pay telephone and the available credit on the debit card isdebited for the amount used.

A problem with prior art debit card and credit card systems is that thedebit/credit card systems have generally been limited to the existingfixed position telephone network, with the debit/credit card systemsrelying primarily on fixed telephones and general purpose pay telephonesfor initiating telephone calls.

In addition, the existing card storage systems provide foridentification data and other data to be stored on the card, forexample, by using magnetic strips to be read by a magnetic swipe reader.Existing smartcards and future card storage systems promise to providegreater detail regarding the card user, with the greater detail storedon a card having greater storage capacity, for example, a card includingone or more computer chips having a memory. The computer chips may alsoinclude microprocessors in addition to the memory, with themicroprocessors allowing the user with the debit/credit card to accesscomputer systems with the debit/credit card. Furthermore, the use of thecomputer chips with memories allows the storage and access of databeyond user identification; for example, computer chips can include useraddresses and telephone numbers, credit and debit account histories, andavailable credit and debit limits.

However, the prior art has limited the use of the card storage systemsto fixed pay telephones having card readers, primarily by magnetic swipereaders reading debit/credit cards with magnetic strips. In the priorart, telephones without card readers, for example, non-pay telephonesand mobile cellular telephones, can only access the existing telephonenetwork using debit/credit cards by entering an account number and/or apersonal identification number (PIN) in the telephone. The advantages ofdevelopments in card storage systems to hold greater information aboutthe user and the user's account activities are unable to be fullyimplemented by the prior art.

Furthermore, debit/credit card systems used in conjunction with theexisting telephone networks are limited to the accessing of thetelephone network to make telephone calls. The prior art does notprovide for the reception of telephone calls to users accessing thetelephone network with a credit card or debit card, unless the userleaves the telephone number of the telephone being accessed with alistener. In addition, some pay telephones may not be permitted, by theoperating telephone company, to send calls to the pay telephones, i.e.some pay telephones allow calls out from the pay telephone but do notallow calls in to the pay telephone, since the telephone company doesnot receive payment for calls in to the pay telephone in the same manneras payment for calls out from the pay telephone.

The present telephone network switches telephone calls for a user tofixed telephone numbers with the fixed telephone numbers allocated tospecific telephones, so a user is limited to receiving telephone callsto fixed telephone numbers and to specific telephones. The prior artdoes not provide for the automatic switching of telephone calls tousers, especially travelers, at telephones which are not allocated tothe users.

Moreover, present debit/credit card systems have been limited inapplication to merchant point of sale (POS) applications and to thedescribed uses with telephones. Other consumer electronic applications,for example, personal computers, facsimile machines, and automobileswould also benefit from a wireless debit card system in providing adebit card system free from specifically allocated telephone numbers.

SUMMARY

A monetary amount is allocated to a user of a radio unit. The userinitiates a wireless telephone call using the radio unit to engage in alocal transaction other than for wireless telephone services. The useris permitted to engage in the local transaction based on in part theallocated monetary amount. A monetary amount associated with the localtransaction is debited from the allocated monetary amount.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of theinvention, and together with the description serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a prior art debit/credit card having a magnetic strip;

FIG. 2 shows a prior art debit/credit card having a computer chip with amemory;

FIG. 3 shows a wireless debit card system with a user having a radiounit accessing a base station;

FIG. 4 shows an alternate embodiment of the wireless debit card systemwith various electronic devices accessing the wireless debit card systemvia radio waves and wired connections;

FIG. 5 illustrates a radio unit of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the radio unit of thepresent invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a base station of the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows an end station of the present invention;

FIG. 9 shows a debit meter of the present invention;

FIGS. 10-13 illustrate embodiments of radio telephones having slots fora debit card;

FIGS. 14-15 illustrate embodiments of radio facsimile machines havingslots for a debit card;

FIGS. 16-17 illustrate embodiments of radio personal computers havingslots for a debit card; and

FIGS. 18-19 illustrate embodiments of the dashboards of automobileshaving slots for a debit card.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Reference now is made in detail to the present preferred embodiments ofthe invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like elementsthroughout the several views.

As illustratively shown in FIG. 1, a prior art debit/credit card 30having a magnetic strip 32 permits the user or cardholder to access adebit/credit card system by passing the debit/credit card 30 passthrough or by having the debit/credit card 30 swiped through a magneticcard reader to read the information stored in a magnetic format on themagnetic strip 32. In addition, although the magnetic strips 32 areprimarily used to encode and store identifying information, for example,as a debit/credit card account number, the magnetic strips 32 may alsobe used to encode and store additional information beyond identificationinformation; for example, available credit and debit limits maybeencoded and stored on the magnetic strip 32. A debit/credit card 30 witha magnetic strip 32 may be used repeatedly in any compatible magneticstrip reader, and the magnetic strip 32 may further be rewritten by anycompatible magnetic strip reader which is also equipped with a magneticstrip writer capable of encoding different or updated information in amagnetic format onto the magnetic strip 32 of the debit/credit card 30.

The use of debit/credit cards in commerce is widespread, and furtherapplications of debit/credit cards are being implemented. Someapplications may utilize debit/credit cards called smartcards, withsmartcards being capable of storing greater amounts of information andcapable of accessing more diverse consumer applications. In the priorart, some debit/credit smartcards 34 are equipped with computer chips 36having memories, as illustratively shown in FIG. 2. In use, the userplaces the debit/credit smartcard 34 into a compatible card accessingdevice to read and access the information stored in the memory of thecomputer chip 36. The computer chips 36 are not limited to using siliconchips, and the computer chips 36 may further be equipped withmicroprocessors including or in addition to the memories. Furthermore,the computer chips 36 may also be equipped with minute batteries orenergy cells, allowing for volatile memories to be used to store theinformation in the memory and, therefore, on the debit/credit smartcard34.

The debit/credit cards 34 with computer chips 36 having memories mayalso be rewritten by a compatible accessing device equipped with aprocessor capable of writing and rewriting information to the memory ofthe computer chip 36 on the debit/credit card 34.

The use of the computer chips with memories allows the storage andaccess of data not limited to user identification; for example, thecomputer chips can include user addresses and telephone numbers, creditand debit account histories, and available credit and debit limits.

The existing debit/credit card systems primarily employ debit/creditcard readers/writers accessing debit/credit account databases throughthe existing telephone networks using modems connecting the debit/creditcard readers/writers to the telephone networks, for example, as publicswitched telephone networks (PSTN).

In the exemplary arrangement shown in FIG. 3, the wireless debit cardsystem is shown comprising at least one radio unit 80, at least one basestation 50, and at least one end station 70. Each end station 70typically has a communications switch, and the end station 70 may beembodied as an end office; for example, a class 5 office. Each of theradio units 80 typically has means for reading a credit amount and apersonal access number stored on a debit card. Each of the radio units80 also has means for communicating, using radio waves, the creditamount and the personal access number as a credit signal. The creditsignal may further include synchronization data. The base stations 50receive the credit signal from each of the radio units 80 and relay thecredit signal over a communications channel 60 to the end stations 70.Each end station 70 has a communications switch which is responsive toreceiving a plurality of credit signals. In response to receiving theplurality of credit signals, the communications switch allocates thecredit amount for each radio unit, and the communications switch alsosets, within the communications switch, the personal access number foreach debit card for each radio unit 80. A communications channelidentified with each personal access number is assigned a path throughthe base station 50.

As shown in FIG. 3, the base station 50 may be embodied as a commercialplace of business, for example, a candy store, a bodega, or a departmentstore, with an antenna 52 coupled to the base station 50. The basestation 50 transmits and receives signals to and from a radio unit 80 ofa user 81, respectively, using radio waves 54 over broadcast channelfrequencies. Furthermore, in the preferred embodiment, the wirelessdebit card system may further include a debit meter 100 operativelycoupled to the base station 50, as shown in FIG. 3.

In an alternate embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the wireless debitcard system may be embodied as a base station 50, a communicationschannel 60, an end station. 70, and various radio units, with the radiounits embodied as, for example, a radio telephone 82, a facsimilemachine 84, an automobile 86, and a personal computer 88, with each ofthe radio units 82, 84, 86, 88 capable of transmitting and receivingradio frequencies. Each of the radio units 82, 84, 86, 88 communicateswith the base station 50 via radio waves 54 over broadcast channelfrequencies. The wireless debit card system may further include a debitmeter 100 operatively coupled-to the base station 50. At the time ofpurchase of the debit card and/or the radio unit 80, the debit card tobe used with the radio unit 80 may have an initial credit amount and aninitial personal access number stored on the debit card.

As the radio units 80 may be embodied as radio telephones, radiofacsimile machines, and the like, and as the base station 50 may becoupled to devices connected through telephone lines, for example, fixedwire telephones, mainframe computers, and the like, the personal accessnumber of the debit card may be used as a telephone number, or thepersonal access number may encode or incorporate telephone numbers intothe personal access number, existing telephone numbers, telephone lines,and telephone accounts may operate in conjunction with the wirelessdebit card system.

Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the base station 50 may further becoupled to other devices, for example, telephone 92 and facsimilemachine 94, through a telephone network 90, where devices, which mayinclude a telephone 92 and a facsimile machine 94, are coupled to thetelephone network 90 by telephone wires 98, and where the base station50 is coupled to the telephone network by telephone wires 96. Thewireless debit card system, as embodied in FIG. 4, allows both wirelessand wired devices to access the base station 50.

As shown in FIG. 5, each radio unit 80 in the wireless debit card systemincludes a first processing means, means for reading a credit amount anda personal access number from a debit card, and means for communicatingthe credit amount and the personal access number as a credit signal. Thefirst processing means maybe embodied as a controller 204 which mayperform processing functions as a first processor for generating acredit signal from the credit amount and from the personal accessnumber. The communicating means may be embodied as a transceiver 202,and the reading means may be embodied as reader 208. The transceiver 202includes an antenna, and the transceiver 202 is operatively coupled tothe base station 50 via radio waves over broadcast channels, and thetransceiver 202 communicates with the base station 50 and with otherdevices over the broadcast channel frequencies.

The user accesses the wireless debit card system by accessing the radiounit 80 with the debit card by inserting the debit card into a slot inthe radio unit 80. The radio unit 80 may also include memory 206 forstoring the credit amount and the personal access number after thecredit amount and the personal access number are read by the reader 210of the radio unit 80.

For use with a debit card 30 with a magnetic strip 32, as shown in FIG.1, the reader 208 of radio unit 80 may include a magnetic reader forreading the credit amount and the personal access number from themagnetic format of the magnetic strip 32 of a debit card 30.

For use with a debit card 34 with a computer chip 36 having a memory,for example, smartcards, as shown in FIG. 2, the reader 208 of radiounit 80 may include a reader processor 210 for reading the credit amountand the personal access number from the memory of the computer chip. Theoperation of the wireless debit card system is not dependent on theformat of the information storage on the debit cards, so magnetic stripcards and smartcards may both be used in the wireless debit card system,where magnetic strip cards and smartcards are read by compatible debitcard readers included in the radio units.

As shown in FIG. 6, the radio unit 80, in an alternate embodiment, mayfurther include changing means, embodied as writer 212 using controller204 and memory 206, for changing the credit amount of the debit card.The writer 212 may also change the personal access number of the debitcard.

For use with a debit card 30 with a magnetic strip 32, as shown in FIG.1, the writer 212 of radio unit 80 may include a magnetic writer forwriting the credit amount and the personal access number from themagnetic format of the magnetic strip 32 of a debit card 30.

For use with a debit card 34 with a computer chip 36 having a memory,for example, smartcards, as shown in FIG. 2, the writer 208 of radiounit 80 may include a writer processor 214 for writing and/or rewritingthe credit amount and the personal access number to the memory of thecomputer chip. The operation of the wireless debit card system is notdependent on the strip cards and smartcards may both be used rewrittenin the wireless debit card system, where magnetic strip cards andsmartcards are written and/or rewritten by compatible debit card readersincluded in the radio units.

The radio unit 80 includes an antenna, connected to the transceiver,which may be internal or external. The radio unit 80 may be embodied asa radio telephone 82, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 12, where each radiotelephone 82 includes a swipe slot 601 for swiping the debit cardthrough the reader 208 and through the writer 212 of the radiotelephone. In alternate embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 13, eachradio telephone 82 includes an insertion slot 602 for inserting thedebit card into the reader 208 and into the writer 212 of the radiotelephone 82.

The radio units may also include radio facsimile machines, asillustrated in FIGS. 14-15 may also include radio personal computers,for example, radio laptop computers, as illustrated in FIGS. 16-17, andmay also include automobiles, as illustrated in FIGS. 18-19, with eachof the radio personal computers, radio facsimile machines, andautomobiles including an antenna and slots for the debit cards. FIG. 14shows a radio facsimile machine 84 width a swipe slot 603 to swipe adebit card with a magnetic strip through a magnetic reader/writer of theradio facsimile machine 84, while FIG. 15 shows a radio facsimilemachine 84 with an insertion slot 604 to insert a debit card into thereader/writer of the radio facsimile machine 84. Similarly, FIGS. 18 and19 show the dashboard 87 of an automobile, with the dashboard 87equipped with a swipe slot 607 and with an insertion slot 608,respectively, for swiping or inserting the debit card into thereader/writer of the automobile.

The debit card stores a credit amount and a personal access number,width the debit card storing the credit amount and the personal accessnumber on a magnetic strip in a magnetic format or in a computer chipwith a memory. A user accessing a radio unit 80 width the debit card byinserting the debit card into the reader 208 of the radio unit 80. Thereader 208 reads the credit amount and the personal access number fromthe debit card, and the controller 204 generates a credit signal fromthe credit amount and the personal access number. The transceiver 202transmits the credit signal over broadcast frequencies, using radiowaves, to a bade station 50.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, each radio unit 80 may furtherinclude display means for displaying the credit amount of the debitcard. The display means may be embodied as a display 216, as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, respectively. The display means may also display thepersonal access number of the debit card. In addition, the firstprocessing means, embodied as controller 204, may also store the creditamount as a count in a counter, and may deduct charges for use of theradio unit 80 by decreasing the count as the charges are incurred by theuser. The first processing means, embodied as controller 204, mayfurther send the count to the display means for display to the user toindicate to the user the present amount of credit available as the userincurs charges against the previously purchased credit amount.

In addition, etch radio unit 80 may further include audio means forproducing sounds. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the audio means may beembodied as a speaker 218, since the radio unit 80 may be embodied as aradio telephone, as a radio facsimile machine, as a radio personalcomputer, or as an automobile, and since telephones, facsimile machines,personal computers, and automobiles usually provide audio means embodiedas speakers. The controller 204 may generate a warning signal toindicate when the count has decreased below, or crosses, a predeterminedthreshold; therefore, the warning signal is produced when the availablecredit fox the debit card has reached a low level and requires anincrease in the credit amount for further use of the radio unit 80.Alternately, the controller 204 may generate the warning signal toindicate when the count has decreased to zero to indicate that tie debitcard does not have any available credit for further charges by the useron the radio unit 80.

In response to the warning signal from the controller 204, the speaker218 emits one or more sounds to indicate that the credit of the debitcard is low, using a low credit warning sound, or that the credit of thedebit card has run out, using a zero credit warning sound. The audiomeans may further include synthesizer means, embodied as a voicesynthesizer, for generating synthesized voice messages, permitting thelow credit warning sound and the zero credit warning sound to includesynthesized voice messages to convey to the user the amount of availablecredit, the lack of available credit, or other voice messages.

The base station 50 receives the broadcasted credit signal,. andresponds to receiving the credit signal by relaying the credit signalover a communications channel 60 to an end station 70, as shown in FIGS.3 and 4. The communications channel 60 may be embodied as a telephonenetwork, with both the base station 50 and the end station 70 beingcoupled to the telephone network by telephone lines. Therefore, thewireless debit card system may easily be connected with the existingtelephone networks, and also may be easily implemented in commercialplaces of business; for example, a base station 50 may be installed in atelephone jack in a candy store, a bodega, or a department store.

In addition, the communications channel 60 may alternately be embodiedas a wireless communications system with the base station 50 and the endstation 70 broadcasting over radio frequencies.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the base station 50 includes a transceiver 302and a controller 304. As shown in FIG. 3, the base station 50 may belocated at a commercial place of business, for example, a candy store, abodega, or a department store, with an antenna 52 coupled to the basestation 50, and the base station 50 relays the credit signal over acommunications channel 60 to an end station 70, as shown in FIGS. 3 and4. As shown in FIG. 3, the antenna 52 may be installed on the roof ofthe commercial place of business.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the end station 70 includes a communicationsswitch 420, a controller 404, and a memory 406. The communicationsswitch 420 is responsive to the credit signal from a radio unit 80 forgenerating a first control signal to allocate the credit amount of thedebit card to the radio unit 80, and the first control signal is alsoused to set a radio unit access number of the radio unit 80 to thepersonal access number of the debit card. The end station 70 establishesand uses a communications path through the base station 50 to send thefirst control signal to the radio unit 80.

In response to the first control signal from the end station 70, theradio unit 80 allocates the credit amount of the debit card to the radiounit 80, and radio unit 80 sets a radio unit access number of the radiounit 80 to the personal access number of the debit card.

The wireless debit card system further includes having the end station70 generate a second control signal for changing the credit amount ofthe debit card after the credit amount to the debit card has been set.In response to the second control signal, the changing means of theradio unit 80 changes the credit amount of the debit card. In a furtherembodiment, the changing means of the radio unit 80, in response to thesecond control signal, changes the personal access number of the debitcard. In changing the credit amount and the personal access number ofthe debit card, the changing means of the radio unit 80, embodied aswriter 212 using controller 204 and memory 206, using data from thesecond control signal, revises the credit amount and the personal accessnumber, respectively, stored in memory 206. In revising the creditamount and the personal access number, the controller 204 generates anupdated credit amount and an updated personal access number,respectively. The changing means thee stores the updated credit amountand the updated personal access number, respectively, on the debit card.

For use with, debit card 30 with a magnetic strip 32, as shown in FIG.1, the writer 212 of radio unit 80 may include a magnetic writer forwriting and/or rewriting the credit amount and the personal accessnumber from the magnetic format of the magnetic strip 32 of a debit card30.

For use with a debit card 34 with a computer chip 36 having a memory,for example, smartcards, as shown in FIG. 2, the writer 212 of radiounit 8 may include a writer processor 214 for writing and/or rewritingthe credit amount and the personal access number to the memory of thecomputer chip 36. The operation of the wireless debit card system is notdependent on the format of the information storage on the debit cards,so magnetic strip cards and smartcards may both be used and rewritten inthe wireless debit card system, where magnetic strip cards and smartcardare read by compatible debit card readers included in the radio units.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the wireless debit card system may include adebit meter 100 coupled to the base station 50. FIG. 9 shows the de bitmeter 100 with storing means for storing a credit amount and a personalaccess number of the debit card, and changing means for changing thecredit amount of the debit card. The changing means may also change thepersonal access number of the debit card. the preferred embodiment shownin FIG. 9, the storing means is embodied as a memory 506, and thechanging means is embodied as a waiter 512 using controller 504 andmemory 506.

In response to a second control signal from the end station 70, thedebit meter 100 changes the credit amount of the debit card using thewriter 512. Also, in response to the second control signal from the endstation 70, the debit meter 100 may change the personal access number ofthe debit card using the writer 512.

For use with a debit card 30 with a magnetic strip 32, as shown in FIG.1, the writer 512 of debit meter 100 may include a magnetic writer forwriting and/or rewriting the credit amount and the personal accessnumber from the magnetic format of the magnetic strip 32 If the debitcard 30.

For use with a debit card 34 with a computer chip 36 having a memory,for example, smartcards, as shown in FIG. 2, the writer 512 of debitmeter 100 may include a writer processor 214 for writing and/orrewriting the credit amount and the personal access number to the memoryof the computer chip 36. The operation of the wireless debit card systemis not dependent on the format of the information storage on the debitcards, so magnetic strip cards and smartcards may both be used andrewritten in the wireless debit card system, where magnetic strip cardsand smartcards are written and/or rewritten by a compatible debit cardwriter included in the debit meter 100.

The debit meter 100 may further include meter processing means forprocessing the credit amount and the personal access number of a debitcard. The meter processing means is embodied as a controller 504 in FIG.9, which may perform processing functions as a meter processor. Inaddition the debit meter 100 may further include reading means, whichmay be embodied as a reader 508, for reading the credit amount and thepersonal access number of the debit card.

For use with debit card 30 with a magnetic strip 32 as shown in FIG. 1,the writer 508 of debit meter 100 may include a magnetic reader forreading the credit amount and the personal access number from themagnetic format of the magnetic strip 32 of the debit card 310.

For use with a debit card 34 with a computer chip 36 having a memory,for example, smartcards, as shown in FIG. 2, the reader 508 of debitmeter 100 may include a reader processor 510 for reading the creditamount and the personal access number from the memory of the computerchip 36. The operation of the wireless debit card system is notdependent on the format of the information storage on the debit cards,so magnetic strip cards and smartcards may both be used in the wirelessdebit card system, where magnetic strip cards and smartcards are read bycompatible debit card readers included in the radio units.

The debit meter 100 may also include a swipe slot for swiping the debitcard through the writer 512 of the debit meter 100. In alternateembodiments, the debit meter 100 may include an insertion slot forinserting the debit card into the reader 508 and writer 512 of the debitmeter 100.

The wireless debit card system further includes having the end station70 generate a second control signal for changing the credit amount ofthe debit card after the credit amount to the debit card has been set.In response to the second control signal, the changing means of thedebit meter 100 changes the credit amount of the debit card. In anotherembodiment, the changing means of the debit meter 100, in response tothe second control signal, changes the personal access number of thedebit card. In changing the credit amount and the personal access numberof the debit card, the changing means of the debit meter 100, embodiedas writer 512 using controller 504 and memory 506, using data from thesecond control signal, revises the credit amount and the personal accessnumber, respectively, stored in memory 506. In revising the creditamount and the personal access number, the controller 504 generates anupdated credit amount and an updated personal access number,respectively. The changing means then stores the updated credit amountand the updated personal access number, respectively, on the debit card.

In the preferred embodiment, the debit meter 100 of FIG. 9 is used withthe radio units 80 as embodied in FIG. 5, so that the debit meter 100may perform the functions of changing and writing/rewriting the creditamount and the personal access number of the debit card, while the radiounits 80 embodied in FIG. 5 of the wireless debit card system need notbe equipped with writing means. On the other hand, radio units 80embodied in FIG. 6, may be equipped with changing means, perform thefunctions of the de bit meter 100, so that the wireless debit cardsystem need not be equipped with a debit meter 100. Still further, thewireless debit card system may include the radio units 80 of FIG. 5, theradio units 80 of FIG. 6, and the debit meter 100 of FIG. 9, allowingdebits cards to be initially purchased at the base station 50 and thenhaving the debit meter 100 at the base station 50 add to the purchaseddebit card any credit purchased by the debit card purchaser at the basestation 50. The radio units equipped with changing means then may updatethe credit amount an: the personal access number as the debit cardpurchaser uses the debit card. However, users with radio unitsunequipped with changing means utilize the debit meter 100 at the basestation 50, as shown in FIG. 3, to update the credit amount, i.e.purchase and add credit to the debit card, and also to update thepersonal access number of the debit card. The positioning of basestations and debit meters in candy stores, bodegas, department stores,and the like, thus permits convenient local purchases and localtransactions with debit cards to access mobile radio telephone servicesand other services charged and debited by radio wares, for example,radio facsimile machine services, radio personal computer services,automobile services, and the like. For example, telephones, facsimilemachines, personal computers, automobiles, etc. capable of communicatingservice and usage charges and debiting the charges by radio wave, maytherefore be leased or rented with greater convenience.

The present invention further includes a method, using a wireless debitcard system, comprising the steps of accessing a radio unit 80 with adebit card; reading a credit amount and a personal access number fromthe debit card; generating a credit signal from the credit amount andthe personal access number; transmitting the c edit signal over abroadcast channel; receiving the credit signal at a base station 50;relaying the credit signal from the base station 50 to the end station70 over a communications channel 60; switching the credit signal at theend station 70 using switch 420; allocating the credit amount of thedebit card to the radio unit 80 with a communication path through thebase station 50; and setting a radio unit access number of the radiiunit 80 to the personal access number of the debit card with acommunication path through the base station 50.

The method may further include the steps of generating a second controlsignal at the end station 70; and changing the credit amount of thedebit card using the second control signal. In addition, the method mayalso include the step of changing the personal access number of thedebit card using the second control signal.

The step of changing the credit amount may include the steps of revisingthe credit amount as an updated credit amount; and storing the updatedcredit amount on the debit card. The step of changing the personalaccess number may include the steps of revising the personal accessnumber as an updated personal access number; and storing the updatedpersonal access number on the debit card.

For a debit card 30 having a magnetic strip 32 as shown in FIG. 1, thestep of reading the credit amount and the personal access number on thedebit card 30 may include the step, using a reader 208, embodied as amagnetic reader in the radio unit 80, of reading the magnetic format ofthe magnetic strip 32 on the debit card 30; and the step of storing thecredit amount and the personal access number on the debit card 30 mayinclude the step of writing, using a writer 212, embodied as a magneticwriter in the radio unit 80, the credit amount and the personal accessnumber in a magnetic format on the magnetic strip 32 on the debit card30.

Alternately, for a debit card 34 having a chip 36 as shown in FIG. 2,the step of reading the credit amount and the personal access number onthe debit card may include the step, using a reader processor 210 in theradio unit 80, of reading the memory on the chip 36 on the debit card34; and the step of storing the credit amount and the personal accessnumber on the debit card 34 may include the step of writing, using awriter processor 212 in the radio unit 80, the credit amount and thepersonal access number in a memory on the chip 36 on the debit card 34.

For a debit card 30 having a magnetic strip 32 as shown in FIG. 1, thestep of revising the credit amount may include the step, using a firstprocessor, embodied as a controller 204, in the radio unit 80, ofgenerating an updated credit amount from the credit amount and from thesecond control signal; and the step of storing the updated credit amounton the debit card may include the step of writing, using a magneticwriter in the radio unit 80, the credit amount in a magnetic format on amagnetic strip 32 on the debit card 34.

For a debit card 30 having a chip 36 as shown in FIG. 2, the step ofrevising the credit amount may include the step, using a firstprocessor, embodied as a controller 204 in the radio unit 80, ofgenerating an updated credit amount from the credit amount and from thesecond control signal; and the step of storing the credit amount on thedebit 30 card may include the step of writing, using a writer processor514 in the radio unit 80, the credit amount in a memory on the chip 36on the debit card 30.

Similarly, for a debit card 30 having a magnetic strip 32 as shown inFIG. 1, the step of revising the personal access number may include thestep, using a first processor, embodied as a controller 204 in the radiounit 80, of generating an updated personal access number from thepersonal access number and from the second control signal; and the stepof storing the updated personal access number on the debit card mayinclude the step of writing, using a writer 212, embodied as a magneticwriter, in the radio unit 80, the updated personal access number in amagnetic format on the magnetic strip 32 on the debit card 30.

Alternately, for a debit card 34 having a chip 36, as shown in FIG. 2,the step of revising the personal access number may include the step,using a first processor, embodied as a controller 204 in the radio unit80, of generating an updated personal access number from the personalaccess number and from the second control signal; and the step ofstoring the personal access number on the debit card may include thestep of writing, using a writer processor 214 in the radio unit 80, theupdated personal access number in a memory on the chip 36 on the debitcard 34.

In addition, the method of the present invention may also include thestep of storing the credit amount and the personal access number in adebit meter 100 having a meter processor, embodied as a controller 504,and a memory 506. Using the debit meter 100, the method of the presentinvention may include the steps of revising the credit amount as anupdated credit amount; and storing the updated credit amount in thememory 506 of the debit meter 100. In addition, the step of changing thepersonal access number may include the steps of revising the personalaccess number as an updated personal access number; and storing theupdated personal access number in the memory 506 in the debit meter 100.

For a debit card 30 having a magnetic strip 32 as shown in FIG. 1, thestep of storing the credit amount and the personal access number on thedebit card 30 may include the step of writing, using a writer 512,embodied as a magnetic writer, in the debit meter 10, the credit amountand the personal access number in a magnetic format on the magneticstrip 32 on the debit card 30; and the step of reading the credit amountand the personal access number on the debit card 30 may include thestep, using a reader 208 embodied as a magnetic reader in the radio unit80, of reading the magnetic format of the magnetic strip 32 on the debitcard 30. Alternately, for a debit card 34 having a chip 36 as shown inFIG. 2, the step of storing the credit amount and the personal accessnumber on the debit card 34 may include the step of writing using ameter processor, embodied as a controller 504 in he debit meter 100, thecredit amount and the personal access number in a memory on the chip 36on the debit card 34; and the step of reading the credit amount and thepersonal access number on the debit card may include the step, using areader processor 210 in the radio unit 80, of reading the memory on thechip 36 on the debit card 34.

For a debit card 30 having a magnetic strip 32 as shown in FIG. 1, thestep of revising the credit amount may include the step, using the meterprocessor, embodied as the controller 504 in the debit meter 100, ofgenerating an updated credit amount from the credit amount and from thesecond control signal; and the step of storing the updated credit amounton the debit card 100 may include the step of writing, using a writer512, embodied as a magnetic writer in the debit meter 100, the updatedcredit amount in a magnetic format on the magnetic strip 32 on the debitcard 30. Alternately, for a debit card 34 having a chip 36 as shown inFIG. 2, the step of revising the credit amount may include the step,using the meter processor, embodied as the controller 504 in the debitmeter 100, of generating an updated credit amount from the credit amountand from the second control signal; and the step of storing the updatedcredit amount on the debit card may include the step of writing, usingthe writer processor 514 in the debit meter 100, the updated creditamount in a memory on the chip 36 on the debit card 34.

Also, for a debit card 30 having a magnetic strip 32 as shown in FIG. 1,the step of revising the personal access number may include the stepusing a meter processor, embodied as the controller 504 in the debitmeter 100, of generating an updated personal access number from thepersonal access number and from the second control signal; and the stepof storing the updated personal access number on the debit card 30 mayinclude the step of writing, using a writer 512, embodied as a magneticwriter in the debit meter 100, the updated personal access number in amagnetic format on the magnetic strip 32 on the debit card 30.Alternately, for a debit card 34 having a chip 36 as shown in FIG. 2,the step of revising the personal access number may include the step,using the meter processor, embodied as the controller 504 in the debitmeter 100, of generating an updated personal access number from thepersonal access number and from the second control signal; and the stepof storing the updated personal access number on the debit card 34 mayinclude the step of writing, using the writer processor 514 in the debitmeter 100, the updated personal access number in a memory on the chip136 on the debit card 34.

In use, a consumer or user may purchase or rent a radio unit 80 and adebit car, preferably at the location of the base station 50, forexample, at a candy store, a bodega, or a department store, Esillustrated in FIG. 3. The debit card may be a card 30 with magneticstrip 32, as shown in FIG. 1, or the debit card may be card 34 with achip 36 having memory, as shown in FIG. 2. The type of debit cardpurchased and used is to be compatible with the reader/writer of theradio unit 80. Similarly, the base station 50 may be connected to adebit meter 100, as shown in FIG. 3, so the debit card purchased by theuser may be compatible with the reader/writer of the debit meter 100. Atthe time of purchase or at the time of renting the debit card, the usermay purchase an initial amount of credit to the debit card, andsubsequently, the user can purchase further credit to the debit card.Whether by using a magnetic strip or by using a chip with memory, thedebit card stores the current credit amount allocated to the debit cardfor use as a declining balance. Updates to the credit amount, due todecreases in the credit amount from charge to the debit card or due toincreases in the credit amount by subsequent purchases of furthercredit, are stored on the debit card.

A unique personal access number is allocated to each debit card, withthe personal access number being stored on the debit card. However, thepersonal access number to each debit card may be changed by rewritingthe personal access number stored on the debit card.

After purchasing an initial credit amount and/or an increase in thecredit amount of a debit card, the user may proceed to any location awayfrom the base station 50, within a range of the broadcast transmissionsof the base station 50, and the user may use the radio unit with thedebit card.

During use of the debit card, the user inserts the debit card intocompatible radio units, for example, radio telephones, radio facsimilemachines, radio personal computers, automobiles, and the like, to accessthe respective radio unit. The radio telephones, radio facsimilemachines, radio personal computers, automobiles, and the like areequipped with debit card readers and/or debit card writers to readand/or update, respectively, the credit amount and the personal accessnumber of the debit card. The personal access number (PAN) may serve asa personal identification number (PIN) or as an account number for theuser, but the personal access number may perform other functions, forexample, the encoding of additional user information. In use with radiotelephones, radio facsimile machines, and radio personal computers, thepersonal access number may serve as telephone numbers allocated to thedebit card as opposed to being allocated to a fixes telephone line to afixed telephone. Therefore, the personal access number follows the userwith the debit card.

In use with the radio units, the credit amount may be debited forcharges incurred by use of the debit card. The credit amount may bedecreased for charges from outgoing telephone calls, for example, fromradio telephones, radio facsimile machines, radio personal computerswith modems, and radio telephones connected through an automobileequipped with a debit card reader/writer and the appropriate transceiverinstruments.

The credit amount may further be decreased for charges for services, forexample, the renting the radio unit in uses, such as renting theautomobile having the debit card reader/writer, as well as renting theradio telephone, renting the radio facsimile machine, renting the radiopersonal computer, and the like.

At each time that the credit amount is increased or decreased on thedebit card, and at each time that the personal access number of toedebit card is changed, the radio unit and/or the debit meter which readsand updates the credit amount and the personal access number of thedebit card sends a credit signal over radio waves to the base station 50which relays the credit signal through a communications channel 60 to anend station 70.

At the end station 70, a communications switch 420, in response toreceiving the credit signal, generates a first control signal toallocate the credit amount of the debit card to the radio unit 80accessed by the debit card, and the first control signal also sets aradio unit access number of the radio unit 80 to the personal accessnumber of the debit card, using a communication path to the specificradio unit 80 through the base station 50, and fog generating a secondcontrol signal for changing the credit amount and the personal accessnumber of the debit card. In response to the first control signal, theradio unit 80 allocates the credit amount of the debit card to the radiounit 80, and sets the radio unit access number of the radio unit 80 tothe personal access number of the debit card.

The end station 70 stores and tracks the credit amounts and the personalaccess numbers of each debit card, and when the credit amount of a givendebit card decreases to zero or less, the end station 70 does notallocate a positive credit amount to the debit card until the userpurchases additional credit at the base station 50. The controller 204of the radio unit 80 will not operate the radio unit 80 for the userunless the credit amount of the debit card is a positive amount.

A base station 50 may be wired or may be wirelessly connected to the endstation 70, and the base station 50 may use sectional antennae toincrease the capacity of the base station 50 to approximately 1000users. A plurality of base stations may be located approximately oneblock apart in dense urban areas. The modulation of the radio wavebroadcasts between the radio units and the base stations is irrelevantto the operation of the wireless debit card system, although differentmethods of modulation offer different advantages. For example, spreadspectrum modulation and demodulation may be used to minimizedinterference between radio units.

For changing the credit amount and for changing the personal accessnumber of the debit card, the end station 70 generates a second controlsignal for changing the credit amount and the personal access number ofthe debit card. In response to the second control signal, the radio unit80 or the debit meter 100 changes the credit Count and the personalaccess number of the debit card inserted into the radio unit 80 or thedebit meter 100, respectively.

As the personal access number follows the debit card and as the personalaccess number may be changed and may be used as a telephone number, eachradio unit, for example, a radio telephone, may receive telephone callsto the personal access number as opposed to a fixed telephone numberspecifically assigned to the radio unit. In addition, each radio unit isassigned a radio unit access number which allows the radio unit to beaccessed by other radio units or by other broadcast communications, forexample, mobile cellular telephone broadcasts. The radio unit accessnumber of the radio unit may be changed to the personal access number ofthe debit card inserted into the radio unit, so that each radio unitserves the personal access number of the inserted debit card at anygiven time. The wireless debit card system also allows a radio unit toserve more than one telephone number and/or personal access. number.

Since the personal access number, used as a telephone number, forexamples follows the debit card, a user A can insert the debit card ofuser A into person B's radio telephone for user A to receive calls Endto make calls at person B's radio telephone, since the end station 70instructs person B's radio telephone to change the telephone number ofthe person B's radio telephone to user A's telephone number stored as apersonal access number on user A's debit card. As user A uses person B'sradio telephone, user A's telephone calls are charged to user A's debitcard, as opposed to having user A's telephone calls being charged toperson B.

In other embodiments, the insertion of user A's debit card into personB's radio telephone, for example, may initiate the end station 70 toinstruct person B's radio telephone to receive calls to both user A'stelephone number and also to person B's telephone number. appropriateinstructions to the controller of person B's telephone may be used toerase user A's telephone number as an accessible telephone number forincoming calls at a later time.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications can be made to the wireless debit card system and methodof the instant invention without departing from the scope or spirit ofthe invention, and it is intended that the wireless debit card systemand method of the instant invention cover modifications and variationsof the provided they come within the scope of the append d claims andtheir equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for performing local transactions, themethod based on in part the allocated monetary amount, permitting theuser to engage in the local transaction; and debiting from the allocatedmonetary amount a monetary amount associated with the local transactionwithout further interaction from the user after initiating the wirelesstelephone call.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the allocated monetaryamount is a credit amount.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein theallocated monetary amount is a debit amount.
 4. The method of claim 1wherein the local transaction is for a local purchase.
 5. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the local transaction is for automobile services.
 6. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the local transaction is for computerservices.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless telephone callis associated with a personal access number of the radio unit.
 8. Themethod of claim 7 wherein the personal access number of the radio unitchanges in response to a received signal after the user is permitted toengage in the local transaction.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein thepersonal access number is stored on a card of the wireless telephone.10. The method of claim 1 wherein the allocated monetary amount isstored on a card of the wireless telephone.
 11. A wireless telephonecomprising: means for storing a monetary amount allocated to a user of aradio unit; means for initiating a wireless telephone call to engage ina local transaction other than for wireless telephone services; meansfor receiving a signal indicating the radio unit user is permitted toengage in the local transaction; and means for debiting from theallocated monetary amount an amount associated with the localtransactions in response to receiving the signal indicating permissionto engage in the local transaction without further interaction from theuser after initiating the wireless telephone call.
 12. The radio unit ofclaim 11 wherein the allocated monetary amount is a credit amount. 13.The radio unit of claim 11 wherein the allocated monetary amount is adebit amount.
 14. The radio unit of claim 11 wherein the localtransaction is a local purchase.
 15. The radio unit of claim 11 whereinthe local transaction is for automobile services.
 16. The radio unit ofclaim 11 wherein the local transaction is for computer services.
 17. Theradio unit of claim 11 wherein the wireless telephone call is associatedwith a personal access number of the radio unit.
 18. The radio unit ofclaim 17 wherein the storing means comprises a card and the personalaccess number of the radio unit changes in response to a received signalafter the user is permitted to engage in the local transaction.
 19. Theradio unit of claim 18 wherein the storing means comprises a card andthe personal access number is stored on the card.
 20. The radio unit ofclaim 11 wherein the allocated monetary amount is stored on a card andthe storing means comprises the card.